Consequently, policy and institutional mechanisms
need to be put in place which encourage local
participation in the design, implementation and
management of tourism projects. At the least, the
local community need to be empowered to decide
what forms of tourism facilities and wildlife conservation
programmes they want to be developed in
their respective communities, and how the tourism
costs and benefits are to be shared among different
stakeholders, To achieve these changes will require
the decentralization of tourism and wildlife conservation
authority and decision from the national
level to legitimate and democratically elected regional
and grass-roots institutions and organizations
such as welfare societies, local church organizations,
indigenous institutions and women's groups. Also,
tourism should foster small-scale, locally controlled
tourism projects which are sensitive to indigenous
cultures and the local environment.
Following the principles of 'alternative' tourism,
Kenya can broaden its tourism image to include
diverse activities such as ecotourism, mountaineering,
sport-fishing, horse and camel riding, visits to
rural villages, cultural shows and archaeological sites
reconnaissance. Furthermore, Kenya has well over
40 ethnic communities with diverse artifacts and
cultural practices. These disparate ethnic cultures
can be used to develop small-scale 'village tourism
projects'.
At the same time, the promotion and marketing
abroad of Kenya's tourist attractions should be more
coordinated and comprehensive. Most overseas tour
operators and travel agencies tend to give partial
images of and information on the country. Little
effort is expended on giving a complete and accurate
picture of Kenya's diverse environmental and cultural
attractions. In this regard, the Kenyan government
should establish more effective liaison with
overseas travel trade representatives, including discussion
with them on how to provide more accurate
coverage on the country.